This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2020/oct/09/coronavirus-australia-latest-updates-nsw-local-transmission-qld-border-business-economy-health-budget-news-live

The article has changed 22 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Coronavirus Australia update: Victoria reports 11 new cases as NSW rushes to contain clusters – live Coronavirus Australia update: Victoria reports 11 new cases as NSW rushes to contain clusters – live
(32 minutes later)
The number of locally-transmitted cases in Sydney is growing, dashing hopes of the Queensland border reopening next month. Follow liveThe number of locally-transmitted cases in Sydney is growing, dashing hopes of the Queensland border reopening next month. Follow live
It’s 11am for Gladys Berejiklian today
The former Victorian health minister, Jenny Mikakos, has delivered an explosive final submission to the hotel quarantine inquiry on her way out.
Mikakos quit the ministry and parliament after premier Daniel Andrews evidence to the inquiry that he believed she was responsible for the botched program that caused Victoria’s second wave of Covid cases.
However, in her final submission to the inquiry published on Friday, Mikakos has placed the blame on the premier for tasking another department, the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions with the program, meaning she was not kept informed about it.
“The haste with which this program was established saw the usual Cabinet processes subverted with the Premier, through the Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC), tasking the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (DJPR) with responsibility for its design and implementation,” she said.
Mikakos said her resignation should not be viewed as an admission of responsibility, and said the failure of the program in part could be due to the lack of the regular cabinet committee process in the establishment of the program in March.
She said his belief she was responsible for the program was inconsistent with the evidence of the crisis council of cabinet submission from that time which listed the program as being the joint responsibility of DJPR and the Department of Health and Human Services.
The former minister also suggested the inquiry should “treat with caution” Andrews’ claim that a decision to use private security had not been made by the time he held a 3pm press conference on 27 March where he mentioned private security.
“It is submitted that had the decision not already been made by that time, the premier would not have announced the use of private security in the program,” Mikakos said.
“In this regard, it is observed that no evidence was led about what briefings were provided to the premier by his office in advance of that media conference.”
The state opposition has called for Andrews’ staff to be called before the inquiry about their involvement on the day the program was established.
It has been quite the morning, so I am only now reading through the final submissions to the hotel quarantine inquiry.
Jenny Mikakos has quite the interesting one – the former health minister will not be going quietly. Her submission includes a warning for the inquiry to treat her former leader, Daniel Andrews’s evidence with “caution”.
Mikakos’s submission also included this:
Meanwhile, here is how the Oz saw Anthony Albanese talking to his colleagues, more than the Australian people (as per Peter Dutton’s assertions).
Of course, deflection is one of the best tools out there, which then leads to this exchange.
Peter Dutton: Well, I just think if you drill down, last night was all about Anthony Albanese talking to his colleagues, more than the Australian people. The leadership drum is already beating in the Labor party. I mean, Richard’s, you know, he’s got that, that killer, you know, the assassin look there – that smiling assassin look. I don’t want to give it away, Richard but–
Richard Marles: I am the least assassin–
Dutton: You need to empty out his pockets.
Host: He has been called many things. Richard, I don’t think that though.
Dutton: You need to empty out his pockets and see what’s there.
Marles: You’ll need to teach me what that look looks like, Peter.
Dutton: Albo, Albo will not see the next election. Albo will not see the next election and last night was all about a pitch to his colleagues, to say give me a bit more time. Nothing more, nothing less. The election’s two years away and Labor promising to spend more money, as Richard just said, he agrees with everything we said. But the debt is too high, and we should spend more money. So, it’s pretty confusing.
Host: Is Albo going to be your leader at the next election, Richard?
Marles: Yes. Yes, he absolutely is. And I enjoy the – I enjoy Peter’s comedy. But I do want – you know, Peter will be the guy who gives the assassin-look lessons in this parliament. But I do enjoy his comedy today. It’s about spending money better, that’s the question, and they have been spending it badly. They’ve spent a trillion dollars in debt and what is there to show for it? That’s the real point about Tuesday night’s budget, what on Earth is there to show for that?
Sigh.
Peter Dutton did his regular Dutton on the Nine network this morning.Peter Dutton did his regular Dutton on the Nine network this morning.
Australia is headed for a trillion dollar debt in the medium term - as a BEST case scenario - but apparently, Labor is still to blame for how money is spent in this country (the debt doubled under the Coalition, before the pandemic - not that debt and deficit really matter, because money has never been cheaper for governments, the bonds they buy have those low interest rates locked in for years and years, and well, governments should be building and paying for things. It’s the job) Australia is headed for a trillion dollar debt in the medium term – as a BEST case scenario – but apparently, Labor is still to blame for how money is spent in this country (the debt doubled under the Coalition, before the pandemic – not that debt and deficit really matter, because money has never been cheaper for governments, the bonds they buy have those low interest rates locked in for years and years, and well, governments should be building and paying for things. It’s the job).
Dutton was defending the Coalition’s lack of new policies on child care costs - the figure he quotes here is the existing subsidies, and includes the three months of free childcare: Dutton was defending the Coalition’s lack of new policies on child care costs – the figure he quotes here is the existing subsidies, and includes the three months of free childcare:
The money for the government comes from borrowing - which is apparently fine (and is) but when Labor announces a policy, it needs to be entirely paid for, says Dutton. Sound logic there The money for the government comes from borrowing – which is apparently fine (and is) but when Labor announces a policy, it needs to be entirely paid for, says Dutton. Sound logic there.
The federal Labor president has responded to Brad Hazzard:The federal Labor president has responded to Brad Hazzard:
Simon Birmingham spoke to Adelaide radio 5AA about the man he is replacing this morning:Simon Birmingham spoke to Adelaide radio 5AA about the man he is replacing this morning:
The Senate is about to resume its sitting, to pass the budget bills.The Senate is about to resume its sitting, to pass the budget bills.
NSW health minister Brad Hazzard has made some bold, and mysterious, claims against the Queensland premier during a radio interview this morning.NSW health minister Brad Hazzard has made some bold, and mysterious, claims against the Queensland premier during a radio interview this morning.
On ABC’s RN Breakfast, host Hamish McDonald asked Hazzard why it was wrong for Annastacia Palaszczuk to try and protect Queenslanders from the virus with a hard southern border.On ABC’s RN Breakfast, host Hamish McDonald asked Hazzard why it was wrong for Annastacia Palaszczuk to try and protect Queenslanders from the virus with a hard southern border.
Hazzard replied:Hazzard replied:
McDonald: What’s the evidence of that? With respect.McDonald: What’s the evidence of that? With respect.
Hazzard:Hazzard:
Hazzard declined to expand on this point but went on to provide a scorching condemnation of the Queensland premier.Hazzard declined to expand on this point but went on to provide a scorching condemnation of the Queensland premier.
The Queensland has given NSW 48 hours to determine the source of a number of mystery cases before they reset the clock on the required 28 days of no community transmission required to open their borders.The Queensland has given NSW 48 hours to determine the source of a number of mystery cases before they reset the clock on the required 28 days of no community transmission required to open their borders.
Remember how Michael McCormack tried to sell fruit picking as an opportunity to jazz up their Insta feeds?
Well, turns out farmers aren’t so into it.
Next you’ll be telling me that fruit picking isn’t where you find love either.
NSW Health minister Brad Hazzard spoke to ABC radio this morning.
He is very upset at the Queensland border closure:
The Queensland border is open to northern NSW residents.
Health authorities are racing to contain at least two Covid-19 outbreaks in Sydney as the number of locally-transmitted cases grow, dashing hopes of the Queensland border reopening next month.
New South Wales recorded eight more locally-acquired coronavirus cases on Thursday, including three flagged on Wednesday, that ended a 12-day streak without any community transmission.
Multiple cases diagnosed on Thursday will also be added to the tally on Friday.
Five of the cases announced on Thursday are linked to a Liverpool Hospital dialysis cluster – one healthcare worker in her 30s, two women who visited her, and two household contacts aged in their 60s and 80s.
The source of the second cluster – the three cases revealed on Wednesday – is under investigation.
NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian said it is likely more cases would be diagnosed in coming days.
“We anticipate that because we’ve identified these eight cases, that a number of close contacts and family members could be found to be positive as a result, so it’s really important for everybody to stay on high alert,” she said.
A spokesperson from Macquarie University confirmed that a student was among the recently diagnosed cases, and contact tracing was underway.
While these new local cases have threatened the prospect of the Queensland border reopening on 1 November, Berejiklian accused her northern counterpart Annastacia Palaszczuk of “making up rules”.
Queensland on Wednesday gave NSW 48 hours to find the source of three new cases before restarting the 28-day countdown clock that triggers border reopenings.
“I don’t know where they got that 48-hour deadline concept from and I certainly want to send a very strong message to our health experts in NSW – just continue to do your jobs well (and) ignore those artificial deadlines other governments are imposing on us,” Berejiklian said.
Authorities are alerting people to new locations identified as having been visited by confirmed Covid sufferers.
An infectious person attended Potts Point’s Monopole restaurant on Sunday evening. There are also eight train services and two bus-replacement services between Sunday and Wednesday, which pose a contact risk. Stations visited by the services include Parramatta, Liverpool and Moss Vale and more details can be found at www.health.nsw.gov.au.
Berejiklian said the NSW government was considering making the Service NSW QR scanning code a compulsory feature for venues and businesses, after a restaurant visited by a virus case failed to record all patrons’ details.
“I have no patience anymore for people, and businesses in particular, that aren’t doing the right thing … we can’t have a few people let down the whole community.”
Its report is due to be handed down very soon.
And on Mathias Cormann leaving, Jacqui Lambie is equally as blunt:
Speaking of vaccines, Jacqui Lambie is chatting to ABC News Breakfast, where she is asked for her opinion on the budget:
Deputy CHO professor Michael Kidd took to facebook to give a vaccine update:
The no deaths is wonderful news, although another 11 cases is worrying.
The government is continuing its tactic of sending out its women ministers to defend the budget this morning, something which began yesterday, following criticism that in what’s being called a ‘pink’ recession (women have been harder hit than men) there wasn’t much in the budget for women.
Karen Andrews is up this morning with the CSIRO chief.
She will also, per the media alert “respond to Anthony Albanese’s abysmal plan for manufacturing outlined in the Budget Reply”.
Albanese said he wanted to make things in Australia, such as train carriages. That was immediately ridiculed by Coalition MP Dave Sharma, who said it was a “200 year old technology”.
So I guess no one should re-do their plumbing given the Romans invented that. Vaccines are probably out too, since it’s been decades since penicillin was discovered.
Hopefully Andrews will do a better job of defending the budget than Anne Ruston, the social services minister, who yesterday declared:
Well then. Women can drive on roads largely built by men, by contractors largely owned by men, from contracts largely awarded by men. Be still my feminine heart.
We have all made it to Friday and Daniel Andrews’s 99th (I am pretty sure) consecutive press conference.
If it was me, I would troll everyone by not holding a press conference tomorrow, but that is just one of the many, many reasons I’d never be in politics.
It’s the Chadstone cluster which everyone is watching, as Melbourne anxiously waits to see if case numbers get low enough to take the next step on the road map on 19 October.
Meanwhile, Queensland’s ultimatum to New South Wales, to find the source of its new community transmissions or the border closure clock gets restarted for another month, is about to expire.
NSW almost made it two weeks before some new cases popped up.
Its authorities are scrambling to find links between the cases, to make sure the state doesn’t have its own outbreak on its hands.
Queensland is one week into a four-week election campaign, so the talk has been tough.
Ultimately though, in Queensland, the law says it is for the chief health officer to make the decision.
The government is in caretaker mode, so the CHO will announce whether 1 November remains the border reopen date.
The Northern Territory announced it was taking Greater Sydney off its list of declared hotspots as of today.
But on borders, WA won’t be shifting. Its Labor government handed down its budget, predicting a surplus yesterday, a trend which has bucked every other government in Australia. Its budget assumes the hard border won’t be brought down until at least June next year. (There doesn’t seem to be the same chorus screaming to open the border as there is for Queensland though, it must be said.)
In federal politics, Anthony Albanese has started his budget reply media blitz very early, as Labor pushes its childcare package and energy transmission grid revamp.
The Senate will sit today to pass the budget legislation and farewell Mathias Cormann, who is Australia’s nominee for the OECD.
We’ll bring you all of that and more as the day goes on. You have Amy Remeikis with you for most of the day.
Ready?